By MASIDING NOOR YAHYA and JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte issued on Thursday Proclamation NO. 1189 declaring July 20, 2021, Tuesday, a regular holiday throughout the country in observance of Eid’l Adha, the Islamic Feast of Sacrifice.

The president based his proclamation on the recommendation of National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Secretary Saidamen B. Pangarungan  and R.A. 9849 which provided Eid’l Adha as a national holiday.

Eid’l Adha is one of the two Islamic festivals being revered annually by over a billion Muslims all over the world.

It falls on the 10th of Dhu’l Hijjah in the Hijrah Calendar which marks the culmination of Hajj or Pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

Hajj is one of the important pillars of Islam religion which requires a Muslim who is physically and financially able to perform the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime.

As in 2020, this year’s hajj is closed to pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom due to the Covid-19 pandemic and only those already residing in KSA may perform the Hajj. 

The other Islamic festival is Eid’l Fitr or the Feast of Breaking the Ramadan Fast on the 1st day of the month of Shawwal in the Hijrah Calendar.

The President has emphasized that the observance of Eid’l Adha shall be subject to existing quarantine and social distancing measures. (PMT)